If you’re looking to slim up parts of your body that aren’t responding to diet and exercise without going under the knife, Coolsculpting may be an excellent option for you. Since Coolsculpting was approved by the FDA in 2010, the fat removal treatment has increased by 823% with more than 6 million procedures done worldwide. The double chin is one of the most common areas of the body targeted by this procedure, because double chins can stick around even after major weight loss. If you think chin sculpting is right for you, call Silhouette Plastic Surgery Institute at 949-359-8397 for a free consultation.

How Does Coolsculpting Work?

Coolsculpting uses a procedure known as cryolipolysis which rolls fat into two panels and freezes it. As a result, the dead fat cells are eliminated through the liver as waste. 

Coolsculpting can also reduce the appearance of cellulite in places such as the legs, buttocks, and arms. Coolsculpting is common for these parts of the body:

  • Jawline and neck
  • Chin
  • Thighs
  • Lower back
  • Belly and sides

Coolsculpting procedures typically take an hour for larger body parts, but chin sculpting only takes 35 minutes.

Coolsculpting Chin and Jawline

What can you expect for chin sculpting specifically? An Orange County plastic surgeon will use a handheld applicator, similar to a vacuum cleaner nozzle, for the procedure. Your plastic surgeon will then apply a gel pad and applicator to your chin area. The applicator will deliver controlled freezing to chin fat as it moves over your skin. You may feel pulling and pinching during the procedure, but other than that, pain is minimal.

After the fat cells are frozen, your plastic surgeon will massage the area to break up any frozen deep tissue. The massage also helps your body absorb the dead fat cells.

Other Combinable Procedures Include:

Coolsculpting Neck Fat

Coolsculpting is also a safe and effective option for reducing neck fat, commonly referred to as a double chin. Double chins are not only the result of some lifestyle choices, they are also influenced by gender, genetics, hormones, and age. Oftentimes, double chins are considered “stubborn” pockets of fat that don’t always respond to dieting and exercise, similarly to jawline and chin fat. Because of that, the neck is a popular area that undergoes the Coolsculpting procedure.

Coolsculpting Chin Results

Researchers found in a 2009 study that fat treated by Coolsculpting reduced by 25%, and results remained for six months following the treatment. However, chin sculpting results will begin to appear within three weeks, with desired results appearing within two to three months. This is because the fat-flushing process often continues for up to six months after treatment. 

How Long Do the Results Last?

Chin sculpting results last indefinitely because Coolsculpting kills off the fat cells. However, if you gain weight after your treatment, new fat cells may grow in the areas you received treatment.

Risks and Side Effects of Chin Sculpting

As with any procedure, there are side effects from chin sculpting. The most common side effects during the procedure include:

  • Discomfort if you’re sensitive to hot or cold temperatures
  • Tingling, stinging, pulling 

There are side effects after chin sculpting as well, most of which disappear within a few days to a few weeks. Some of the most common side effects after the procedure are:

  • Achiness
  • Swelling
  • Redness and bruising
  • Tenderness
  • Pain and tingling
  • Feelings of fullness in the throat
  • Diarrhea as dead fat cells exit the body

Paradox Adipose Hyperplasia

Additionally, there is a very rare but serious side effect from chin sculpting called paradox adipose hyperplasia (PAH). In less than 1% of cases, the fat freezing process causes the tissue to thicken and expand instead of breaking down. In the case of chin sculpting, this tissue thickening would happen in the jawline area.

Symptoms of Paradox Adipose Hyperplasia

  • “Stick of butter” appearance in the treated area, often caused by the Coolsculpting applicator
  • Uneven fat distribution
  • Hard knots around the treated area
  • Exaggerated fat in the treated area
  • Visible tissue deformities

Although PAH is not life-threatening, it’s a serious condition that needs treatment by an Orange County plastic surgeon. Your surgeon will fix this rare issue by removing the excess tissue.

Who Shouldn’t Undergo Chin Sculpting?

While Coolsculpting is a generally safe procedure for the majority of people, it’s not a good idea to undergo this procedure if you have these conditions:

  • Raynaud’s disease: a disorder that causes decreased blood flow to the fingers as a result of cold temperatures or stress. Other body parts can receive less blood flow as well, including the ears, toes, nipples, knees, or nose. 
  • Cryoglobulinemia: a condition that causes proteins (cryoglobulins) in the blood to clump together in response to cold temperatures. Cryoglobulins clumping together can also cause inflammation and organ damage.
  • Cold agglutinin disease: a rare type of autoimmune hemolytic anemia where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys its own red blood cells in response to cold temperatures. 
  • Paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria (PCH): another rare type of autoimmune hemolytic anemia that causes the destruction of healthy red blood cells by auto antibodies. The blood cell destruction happens in response to cold temperatures.
  • Chilblains are the painful inflammation of small blood vessels in the skin that happens as a result of cold temperatures.
  • Diabetic neuropathy: a type of nerve damage that happens alongside diabetes.
  • Eczema: an itchy rash on the skin.
  • Psoriasis: a condition in which skin cells build up and form itchy, dry patches of skin.
  • Severe anxiety disorders, because symptoms could worsen in response to Coolsculpting. This is especially the case if a person has severe anxiety surrounding body image, exercise, and dieting.

Does Coolsculpting Treat Obesity?

Coolsculpting isn’t recommended to treat obesity because the treatment is best used for stubborn fat that doesn’t shrink in response to diet or exercise. Additionally, it’s recommended that people who undergo Coolsculpting eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly to maintain long-term results. An unhealthy diet alongside inactivity can undo Coolsculpting results.

Coolsculpting vs. Liposuction

Maybe you’re trying to decide between Coolsculpting and liposuction and you’re wondering: what’s the difference? In short, liposuction is a surgical procedure and Coolsculpting is not. 

How does Liposuction Work?

Liposuction involves anesthesia, cutting, and stitching. A plastic surgeon will make a small incision and then insert a suction tool to vacuum fat cells out of a specific body part. It will take much longer for a patient to recover from liposuction compared to Coolsculpting. Initial recovery will take a few days, but you may have to wait two to four weeks before resuming strenuous activity. Additionally, it may take several months to see the full results of liposuction because of swelling. Meanwhile, Coolsculpting is a non-surgical procedure that doesn’t require recovery time.

Side Effects of Liposuction vs. Coolsculpting

Because liposuction is a surgical procedure and Coolsculpting isn’t, patients who undergo liposuction will experience more side effects during recovery time. Common side effects of liposuction include:

  • Irregularities in skin shape, such as lumps or divots
  • Skin discoloration
  • Fluid accumulation that needs to be drained
  • Temporary or permanent numbness
  • Skin infection
  • Internal puncture wounds

Rare but serious side effects of liposuction include:

  • Fat embolism, which is a medical emergency that releases a clot of fat into your bloodstream, lungs, or brain
  • Kidney or heart problems caused by changes in body fluid levels during the procedure
  • Anesthesia complications

Meanwhile, the most common side effects of Coolsculpting as shown above are a tugging sensation at the procedure site, aching, tingling, and temporary bruising or swelling.

Comparing Results of Coolsculpting and Liposuction

Both procedures are very similar in that they permanently destroy fat cells in the treated area. Coolsculpting can remove up to 25% of fat cells in a specific area, meanwhile liposuction can remove up to 11 pounds of fat in a specific area. However, a 2012 study shows that people who endured liposuction regained the same amount of fat they had removed. This time, they regained it in other areas of the body.

How Much is Coolsculpting for the Chin?

The average cost of chin sculpting is $1400, but pricing depends on the size of the treatment area. Coolsculpting costs up to $4,000 for larger areas of the body, and most likely won’t be covered by health insurance because the procedure is strictly cosmetic.

Contact Silhouette Plastic Surgery Today

At Silhouette Plastic Surgery Institute, we want you to look and feel your best. For some people, this may include not only a healthy diet and exercise regime, but chin sculpting too. However, if you’re looking for more than just Coolsculpting, Silhouette Plastic Surgery does it all. Call us today at 949-359-8397 for information on breast augmentations, facelifts, tummy tucks, Botox, and so much more.